Roller bearing unit for wheels



May 31, -1932. BUKQLT 1,861,205

ROLLER BEARING UNIT FOR WHEELS Original Filed Oct. 27, 1928 Patented May 31, 1932 uNrrso STATES PATENT JFFICE ROMAN B. Boxcar, or s'rnvnns, POINT, Wisconsin ROLLER BEARING unrr r03 WHEELS Original application filed October 27, 1928, Serial No. 315,581. Divided and this application filed October 12,

1929. Serial This invention relates to improvements in roller bearing units for wheels and the like. This is a division of my co-pending application Serial No. 315,581, Oct. 27, 1928.

Itis the object of this invention to provide a novel and improved roller bearing unit and a. novel and improved assembly of such unit in a wheel for the purpose of efiecting economy of manufacture and a more satisfactorily operable construction than has heretofore been available.

In roller bearing wheels of the type to which this invention relates it has been oustomary to provide elongated rollers extending completely through the hub of the wheel. When used in disk wheels such rollers have been mounted in bearing elements unconnected save through the opposing disks comprising the wheel and any distortion of the wheel 39 has made possible the disarrangement of the bearing. I have found that it is not only less expensive but far more practicable to provide separate roller units in which the rollers are of short length and are closely confined by bearing members rigidly connected with each other.

Further economies are effected through standardization which is made possible by the fact that the roller units may be used in various forms of wheels irrespective of the spacing between disks at the hub of the wheel. The units may also be fastened to the disk in a number of different ways to suit the particular designs of the manufacturer of such wheels and may be supplied as separate articles of manufacture either assembled or disassembled. The units, furthermore, lend themselves to use in wire wheels without change other than the provision of apertures to receive the spokes of such wheels. A single unit serves in both left and right hand locations and is adapted in any location to receive and retain a hub cap.

In the drawings- Figure 1 is a side elevation of a wheel embodying this invention, the hub cap and a portion of the bearing unit race being broken away to expose the rollers therein;

Figure 2 is an axial vertical section through the wheel shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a detail showing a slightly modified application of the parts of the bearing unit to the wheel;

Figure 1 is a detail showing how the same units may be incorporated in a wire wheel.

Like parts are identified by similar reference numerals throughout the several views.

The, Wheels herein disclosed are particularly adapted fortoy vehicles but have a much wider application. Referring to Figures 1 and 2 it will be noted that these views illustrate a disk wheel comprising the individual sheet metal disks or plates 5 and 6 oppositely dished or axially distorted. at 7 and 8 respectively for strength. The two disks are riveted together at 9and provided at 10 with opposing flanges adapted to receive the tire 11. Registering apertures are provided in the centers of the respective disks at 15 and 16 to receive an axle shaft and the bearing means hereinafter to be described.

In accordance with this invention, each of the component disk members 5 and 6 comprising the wheel is separately provided with an individual bearing unit. The units are identical. Each consists of a pair of centrally apertured cups 17, each having a radial flange 18 at its margin. The two cups together provide a bearing race into which the rollers .19 are inserted in annular series. The cup flanges are then riveted or welded together at 20. The rollers may be inserted in one of the cups before the other is fastened thereto and are held in properly spaced relation by means of a disk 21 confined between the flanges 18 of the cups 17 and having apertures toengage and position the central portions of the rollers.

The same rivets used to secure-the bearing cups 17 together may be used to secure the bearing unit to the hub portion of either disk 5 or 6, as disclosed particularly in Figure 2. It will be obvious that in such case a single riveting operation will secure together the component parts of the bearing unit and will fix such unit in place in the wheel. It will further be obvious that it is broadly immaterial whether the flanges of the bearing unit are disposed within the disk, as shown in Figure 2, or on the outside face of the disk or whether the disk is received between such flanges, as shown in Fig- 5 ure 3.

It may be observed, however, thatin the construction shown in Figures 1 and 2 the load is transmitted directly from the inner periphery of the disk to the shoulder formed on flange 18 within which" the skeleton-ca-ge- 21 is housed, the rivets performing. the sole function of securing the parts together;

whereas in the 'Figure 3 construction, the;

entire load is transmitted through the 'riv- 5 ets. It is preferred therefore, to have the margin of the diskfittedto the outeraperiphcry of the cup-shaped race member of the unit and engaged either with-the inner mem ber or with the outer member,as suggested in Figure 2. g

It is also to be observed that in the Figure 3 construction, thespa'cing cage disk 21 is approximately equal in thickness to the disks 5' and 6 of the wheel-and hence it is notneci essary to shoulder or'embossflanges '18 to"'re= ceive the cage disk 21,'as:in the constructionshown in the remaining views.

Figure 4 shows the identical--:units above described used to provide a hub-fora Wife'- Wheel. A" spacing sleeve. 25': slips "over the"- cup portions: oftheinnerrace melnbers of the respective bearing units and the flanges of such units are i-apertured 1 adjacent their peripheries to receive the a usual "spokes- 26.- Exceptfor these apertures'the unitsJare identicalowith those" previously described and it will be observed that the provision oftheapertures will in no wise alter the function ing of units employed in -a disk wheel iso thatif desired. amanufacturer may make up these units in: qua'ntlties and use-themv in either type of wheel which is in production at the time;v

The component race members of the bear 71ng 1'un1ts may be drawn,;stamped',"or spun and iii-any event will generally have a veryslight taper fromv thebase 'ofthe -cup toward its margin. Due to' this fact, ithe sleeve 25 will have a tight-frictional engagementwith the respective unitsand will, of'course,'fad--' ditionally be --retained by thetension on;

spokes The taper. above referred tog however, has a further-utility inzboth types of wheels :in that 'it isadapted: to receive and frictionally retain a hub capwsuch; as Jthat" shown at 27. Due-to'the' fact that leftran'd right units areidentical, the hubicap is freelyinterchangeable between the exposed 1 cup members at eitherside of the wheel and the wheel may beused =in any=locatio1r upon a toy" vehicle or other vehicle in which the beari'ngrstructure is employed:

I claim:

1 A bearing-unit comprisingsthe coin'bi nationofidentlcal -=cup shaped:race members-1' j acent their upper: ends, and anti-friction rollers operatively disposed within the apertures of said plate-1n supporting relation to the" race "members and- 1n annular series therein;

ROMAN- B." BUKOLT. 

